December 18, 2012
The Honorable Harry Reid The Honorable Mitch McConnell Majority Leader Republican Leader United States Senate United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Max Baucus The Honorable Orrin Hatch Chairman, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member, Senate Finance Committee United States Senate United States Senate Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510
Dear Majority Leader Reid, Republican Leader McConnell, Chairman Baucus, and Ranking Member Hatch:
On behalf of our thousands of employees who work in the solar industry, we respectfully request a modification of the clean energy tax credits from a “placed in service” standard of eligibility to a “commence construction” standard in both the Section 45 Production Tax Credit (PTC) and in the Section 48 Investment Tax Credit (ITC).
The Senate Finance committee tax extenders package, which was included in S. 3521, the Family and Business Tax Cut Certainty Act of 2012, allows wind and other Section 45 technologies’ projects to qualify for the PTC if the project “commences construction” (rather than is “placed in service”) by a certain date. We want to see this policy change applied to all renewable energy technologies, including solar and the other Section 48 technologies, which qualify for the ITC.
Commence construction is a great policy, makes a lot of sense, and allows us to make full and effective use of the investment tax credit all the way through 2016. In total, a commence construction standard would conservatively yield an additional 4,000 MW of solar electric generating capacity in 2017 and 2018 in the United States—enough to power 676,000 average households. This significant increase in installed capacity would support tens of thousands of additional jobs over this two-year period. Finally, because the tax credit can still only be claimed when the project is completed, this commence construction change would continue to protect taxpayers from any risk.
As our companies plan and participate in solar projects in the coming months and years, it is vital that all of the clean energy technologies have a predictable policy in place. Our companies face incredible amounts of risk based on events beyond our business control. The change to “commence construction” provides much-needed certainty.
It is imperative that this “commence construction” modification be part of any tax extenders package and included in any year-end legislation. Thank you again for your commitment to the clean energy industries, which continue to help diversify our nation’s energy portfolio, promote competition in the energy markets, grow jobs across the country, and reduce energy prices for American families.
Sincerely,
Abengoa Solar ATS Ohio Inc. Arizona, California, and Colorado Ohio
AET. LLC Aztec Solar Inc. Florida California
All Energy Solar Inc. Bentek Corporation Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin California
AllEarth Renewables Blattner Energy Vermont Minnesota
Amphenol Industrial Solar Technologies Blue Ridge Energy Company California Virginia
Appalachian Energy Systems Brightergy Solar Massachusetts, Maryland, Pennsylvania Kansas, Missouri
Apricus Inc. BrightSource Energy Connecticut California, Nevada
Aquatherm Industries, Inc. Butler Sun Solutions, Inc. New Jersey California
Areva Solar Caleffi Solar Arizona, California, Nevada, Pennsylvania Missouri
AST, Inc. Cape Fear Solar Systems Indiana, Ohio North Carolina
Atonometrics Clark Engineering Company Texas Michigan
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Clean Power Finance Hydroflex Systems, Inc. California Pennsylvania
Conserval Systems Inc. Ice Industries, Inc. New York Ohio
Cotuit Solar LLC JA Solar USA, Inc. Massachusetts California
EDF Renewable Energy John Nimmons & Associates, Inc. California, Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, New California York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Texas
Enel Green Power Mainstream Energy Corp. California, Massachusetts, Nevada California
Energy Systems and Installations, Inc. Mercury Solar Systems of Waltham Pennsylvania Massachusetts
Estriatus Law Meridian Energy USA California California
First Solar Microgrid Solar Arizona, California, Maryland, Nevada, New Missouri Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio
Florida Solar Energy Industries Association Multi-Contact USA Florida California
FLS Energy NTS Solar North Carolina Massachusetts
Panasonic Corporation of North America Grenzebach Corporation Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Georgia New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, Washington
Highway Safety Corporation Paradigm Partners Connecticut Massachusetts
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Pfister Energy, Inc. Shoals Technologies Group Florida, Maryland, New Jersey Tennessee
Pilkington North America Skyline Innovations Ohio District of Columbia
SolarCity Power One Inc. Arizona, California, Colorado, District of California Columbia, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania
Radiance Solar SolarNexus Georgia California
Renewable Portfolio Solutions Sol Systems, LLC California District of Columbia
Renewergy Solutions Group, LLC Solar & More New Jersey New Jersey
Renovus Energy Solar Panels Plus, LLC New York Virginia
Ritter Group USA SolarUS Inc. Pennsylvania Connecticut
Roof Integrated Solar Energy Solar Wave Energy, Inc. Illinois Massachusetts
Sabre Industries SolPowerPeople Inc. Texas Texas
Schmid Thermal Systems Inc. Spire Solar California Massachusetts
SunEdison Sener Energy and Systems Inc. California, Colorado, Maryland, New Jersey, California New York
Soitec
California, Massachusetts
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Sunrun Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Universal Solar Products, Inc. Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Puerto Rico York, Oregon, Pennsylvania
Suntech Vidaris, Inc. California New York
Sunvelope Solar, Inc. Viessmann Manufacturing Co. Inc. Nevada Rhode Island
Tenaska Wagner Solar Inc. Nebraska Massachusetts
TEVA Energy Westinghouse Solar Florida California
The LeverEdge Yingli Green Energy Holding Co., LTD Florida California
Trina Solar
California
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